This is a Plan to create a new model of care, fit for the future. It will be central to how we deliver on our health mission. We will take the NHS’ founding principles - universal care, free at the point of delivery, based on need and funded through general taxation - and from those foundations, entirely reimagine how the NHS does care so patients have real choice and control over their health and care.

P.11-12 Specifically, we will:

• deliver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that children turning 16 this year (or younger) an never legally be sold tobacco. The number of 11 to 15 year olds who regularly vape has doubled in the last 5 years, and to crack down on this unacceptable trend, we will also halt the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and other nicotine products.
• We will fully roll out lung cancer screening for those with a history of smoking
• tackle harmful alcohol consumption by introducing new standards for alcohol labelling. We will  support further growth in the in the no- and low alcohol market.

P.66 Tackling harmful alcohol consumption

The estimated total societal cost of alcohol harm in England was £27.4 billion per year in 2021 to 2022, equivalent to over 1.2% of GDP. While many people enjoy a drink in moderation, 4% of people drink as much as 30% of alcohol consumed each year. An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study146 estimates that the UK spends a greater proportion of its healthcare budget on diseases caused by excess alcohol consumption than the OECD average (3.0% compared to 2.4%). To help tackle this, we will strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages. A mandatory requirement will bring alcohol labelling in line with existing health and nutritional labelling requirements for tobacco, food and alcohol-free drinks – all of which currently have more detailed nutritional and health information on their labels than alcoholic drinks. This will ensure greater public awareness of the health risks of alcohol consumption and help consumers make more informed, healthier choices. Mandatory health warning labels have proven effective in addressing alcohol harm in other countries, including South Korea.

As we tackle harmful levels of alcohol consumption, we want to support innovation in new product categories and support businesses that sell them to thrive. In the past 10 years, there has been significant growth in the no- and low- (NoLo) alcohol market148 . To support further growth, we will consult on changing the upper strength threshold at which a drink may be described as alcohol free to 0.5% ABV, which will bring it into alignment with international standards. Alongside this we will explore options to restrict access to NoLo products so they are treated in the same ways as all alcohol products, including banning sales to under 18 year-olds. This work will be taken forward alongside the results of the licensing taskforce.

We will also support innovative community-level innovations where they have shown promise in reducing alcohol harm – including peer-led support groups, peer mentoring and coaching and mutual aid networks. We will work with local government to roll-out community led schemes with evidence of efficacy and value over the course of this Plan.

P.68 Employment and good work - We will continue to expand provision of Individual Placement and Support schemes to help people with severe mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction find good work, provide employment support through primary care and offer employment advice to those accessing talking therapies. The changes we will make in the NHS App will allow many more people out of work due to stress and depression to access online support.

P.83 The public health grant is a nearly £4 billion investment in local health outcomes. It provides a range of critical local services, including stop-smoking, weight management, substance misuse services, and sexual health services. We have already confirmed a real- terms increase in the grant for 2025 to 2026, following a trajectory of cuts and decline since 2015, which were particularly severe in the most disadvantaged parts of the country.

P.131 The shift from sickness to prevention: will help tackle major causes of illness - like smoking, obesity, worklessness and alcohol harm - which combined cost the NHS billions of pounds, unnecessarily, each year.

P.61 Our first step: creating a smoke-free generation for a smoke-free UK
Tobacco is the only legal consumer product that kills up to half of its users when used as intended by the manufacturer. Over 70% of lung cancers are caused by smoking, and it is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and dementia. 230,000 households live in smoking-induced poverty, and the children of smokers are 4 times as likely to start, perpetuating a cycle of dependence and disadvantage. The government will play its role in protecting citizens by creating the first smoke-free generation.

The world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill will mean that children turning 16 this year and those younger than them will never legally be sold tobacco, guaranteeing a long-term end to the sale of tobacco products across the country. The bill will also strengthen the existing ban on smoking in public places, to reduce the harms of passive smoking, particularly around children. By bringing smoking prevalence to essentially zero during the expected lifetime of a child born today, this single piece of legislation will prove transformative for our health, the NHS’ financial sustainability and the economy. We estimate that by 2100 the benefit of this policy will provide cumulative savings to the NHS of £6.6 billion and £64.2 billion in economic productivity gains. While we accept that vapes can help some adults quit, the proportion of 11 to 15 year-olds who regularly vape has more than doubled in the past 5 years. This is plainly unacceptable – and we know from our engagement that many parents and teachers feel powerless to prevent their use. In June this year, we banned single-use disposable vapes but we will go further. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will halt the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and other nicotine products. It will also provide government with powers to restrict point of sale displays, packaging and flavours, particularly those that appeal to children. We will consult on these regulations as soon as possible after the bill receives Royal Assent. We will launch Health Coach later this year. This is a new programme to help people take greater control of their health, including smoking and vaping habits. Users will receive guidance and resources to support their quitting journey.

In the longer term, we will launch a new AI powered digital tool to provide more personalised health advice to millions of people, helping them to make healthier choices every day. We will offer effective third party stop smoking tools through HealthStore. We will deliver our manifesto commitment to integrate opt-out smoking cessation interventions in all routine care within hospitals. As set out in our elective reform plan, we will expect patients to engage with the support available to them, such as smoking cessation services. Evidence shows that stopping smoking 4 weeks before surgery means patients have a 25% lower risk of respiratory complications, compared to those who continue to smoke. We have asked providers only to give patients a date for their routine (non-cancer) procedures once they have been confirmed clinically fit to proceed when pre-assessed.